Beauty and the Beast — Jean Cocteau, dir., Jean Marais, Josette Day The classic from the late 40′s, now restored to its original image quality.
Big Night — Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Ian Holm, Isabella Rosellini, Minnie Driver.
Two Italian brothers (genial host Tucci and perfectionist chef Shalhoub) run a restaurant that’s slowly going under; the successful competition (Ian Holm’s place, which serves ‘tourist’-style Italian food) offers some ‘help,’ and the brothers plan a special dinner in honor of a special guest, and invite all their friends, who have a wonderful time eating, talking, and dancing, while waiting for the guest to show up. Not only is this a great dramatic comedy with wonderful subtleties, twists and turns, but the cooking you see is authentic. (The main course, only one of many incredibly fine dishes, is a tympano.) Even the seemingly casual stuff is amazing: at the end of the film, Tucci — who’s not the chef, but knows his way around a kitchen — makes an omelet not to be forgotten… for himself and his brother.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula — Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves; dir. F.F. Coppola
Generally well-done, but IMO somewhat spoiled by Winona Ryder as heroine (if only she could act, and had a better voice, or at least knew how to make the most of it; a small waist and a plaintive look only get you so far). But the great Gary Oldman is Dracula, and is magnificent, making up for much else. A performance not to be missed.
Brassed Off! — Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fizgerald, Ewan MacGregor
The closing of the coal mine also means the end of the colliery band. Band director P. Postlethwaite is determined to win the top prize money and have his say at the London finals before that happens. Fine picture showing more realistic estimate of life under Thatcher than you usually get to see — and some superb British brass band music, a somewhat different tradition of such music than we have here.
The Bourne Identity — Matt Damon and Franka Potente
Damon and Potente, supported by a fine cast, lead us on a thrilling chase, with the suspense held right up to the very end of the film. Excellent.
Chocolat — Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Lena Olin, Johnny Depp
Excellent film of chocolatier Binoche’s transformation of a too-uptight town and its too-uptight Mayor, who turns out to have secrets of its own.
Contact — Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, John Hurt
Jodie Foster is superb as an astronomer who keeps looking for signs of intelligent life despite all kinds of professional barriers, problems and even betrayals. The one thing no one is prepared for is her success…
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon — dir. Ang Lee; Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Azhang Ziyi
An amazingly filmed tender and tragic story incorporating not only acrobatic fight scenes but aerial balletic effects and martial arts moves that astound. Who is after whom and why? Riveting story, lots of suspense and beautiful cinematography. Now a classic.
The Dish — Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, Tom Long
The astronomy ‘dish’ in Parkes Australia will be carrying the images of the 1969 moon landing to the world — because it’s the only one in the Southern Hemisphere, and therefore the only one in direct line-of-sight to the moon landing. At least, they hope they’ll carry it. It’s amazing how many things can go wrong when the world is watching and waiting. Based on a true story, and very well done.
Diva — Richard Bohringer, Frederic Andrei
An intrigue involving pirated tapes of a Diva’s performance, mixed up with another even more incriminating tape of a different kind, results in a suspenseful film-long hunt and chase. Richard Bohringer plays an enigmatic figure who finally resolves it all. In French with English subtitles.
Dragonheart — Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, voice of Sean Connery as the Dragon.
Eight Men Out — John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Charlie Sheen, David Strathairn
John Sayles’s well-told story of the Chicago Black Sox scandal of 1919. Well written, directed and played.
Enemy at the Gates — Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ed Harris
Just a few of the things that happened at the Battle of Stalingrad, recreated for you by the great Jean-Jacques Annaud. I believe this is a must-see.
Enigma — Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam, Saffron Burrows
A codebreaker finds himself rooting out espionage during the Enigma-code code-breaking effort in England during WWII. Highly suspenseful and involving.
La Femme Nikita — dir. Luc Besson; Anne Parillaud, Tcheky Karyo, Jean Reno
A young woman under the influence of drugs shoots a policeman during a shootout. She is given a second chance at life, to work ‘black ops’ for the French government. After she has proven herself successful many times, atoning for her earlier crime, she would like to quit and have a normal life; but how can she?
Flawless — Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Skipp Sudduth
Cross-dressing Hoffman turns out to be the nearest speech recovery therapist for DeNiro’s anti-gay security man character whose stroke has partly disabled him. They need each other’s help in ways neither expects, it turns out.
Frequency — Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Andre Braugher, Elizabeth Mitchell
An anomaly involving the aurora borealis and shortwave radio causes a young police officer to be able to communicate with his firefighter father. Only problem: his father died in a fire thirty years ago…
Frida — Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Antonio Banderas, Edward Norton
The story of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who was married to Diego Rivera and recorded her eventful life in her innovative paintings. Extremely well done.
Good Night And Good Luck — David Strathairn, George Clooney
Superb film about Ed. R. Murrow taking on Joseph McCarthy. A must-see.
Gosford Park — dir. Altman; Bates, Fry, Gambon, Jacobi, Mirren, Northam, Owen, Smith.
Just another weekend house party at Gosford Park — until the host is killed. Extremely fine recreation of life both upstairs and downstairs in big English country houses in the 1930′s. Jeremy Northam is outstanding as composer Ivor Novello, invited to play and sing for everyone else. Superb film.
Grosse Pointe Blank — John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Joan Cusack, Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin
John Blank, hit man, attends his 10th high school reunion in Grosse Pointe as a side dish while he’s on an official assignment. Complications galore; very funny dark comedy. Joan Cusack as his secretary is superb.
Hammers Over the Anvil — Russell Crowe, Charlotte Rampling
Australia’s outback (not unlike our Wild West). Crowe plays a young man with a way with horses and young women; Rampling plays a well-to-do independent woman, a rarity — and oddity — in that time 100 years ago) and place, who comes to town with her husband and wants to buy some horses. A young boy tells the story of his hero (Crowe) and his involvement with Rampling, while the two burn up the screen together.Very fine, but don’t look for a happy ending.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch — John Cameron Mitchell, Andrea Martin, Michael Pitt, Miriam Shor
The film of the off-off-off Broadway rock musical hit, with John Cameron Mitchell directing and starring in his show. Superb music, good story, great performers.
High Fidelity — John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Jack Black
Excellent! The many loves of the owner of Championship Vinyl, a record store (vinyl only) in Chicago. This is the first time I saw Jack Black; he’s amazing. And I can watch John Cusack anytime…
The Horse’s Mouth — Alec Guinness
Gully Jimson (Guinness) is the real thing, a painter — but at that point, any description of this classic film must falter. You can’t describe this funny and marvelous film; you just have to see it. Guinness wrote the script based on Joyce Cary’s novel and plays the lead. A must-see classic.
Hudson Hawk — Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, Sandra Bernhard
I may be the only person in North America who liked this film (I’m a die-hard Danny Aiello fan) but I did. I like its wise-guy with a heart of gold tone, and I really like it that they time their capers by song renditions, and the comic-book extremes everyone goes to (well, mostly).
An Ideal Husband — C. Blanchett, M Driver, R. Everett, J. Moore, J. Northam
Oscar Wilde’s clever play made to come alive very cleverly indeed. No bad actors here, but Jeremy Northam is a personal favorite and shines in this one.
The Importance of Being Earnest — Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Rupert Everett
Wilde’s text faithfully performed, but opened up cinematically with great performances from everyone and stunning locations — Jack’s ‘house in the country’ is an amazingly beautiful country estate, and Lady Bracknell’s London home is as imposing as she is…
Italian for Beginners — In Danish and Italian with English Subtitles
We follow a group of Danish adults studying Italian, living their Danish everyday lives, then going to Venice on a class trip. Funny and poignant. A must-see.
Kate & Leopold — Hugh Jackman, Meg Ryan, Liev Schreiber, Philip Bosco
A time-travel tale involving the Brooklyn Bridge. A man discovers a way to travel back in time to the 19th C. and see his ancestor as the bridge is being built; the ancestor is inadvertently brought back to New York of the 1990′s when the time traveler returns home. Complications ensue. Delightful, and not sappy.
Keeping the Faith — Ben Stiller, Jenna Elfman, Edward Norton; dir Edw. Norton.
Ever hear the one about the priest and the rabbi who fall in love with the same woman: their childhood tomboy playmate now all grown up and turned into smart, funny successful Jenna Elfman? This is a delightful, funny film. With Anne Bancroft as the rabbi’s terrific mother who is the only one confided in by the girl.
Kieslowski’s Three Colors: Blue, White, Red — J. Binoche, Julie Delpy, Irene Jacob
Three films, respectively treating the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity in an inimitable Kieslowski style. Each film is viewable independently, but are tied together and make an arc when viewed in order. Magnificent. Cinema at its best.
King of Hearts — Alan Bates, Genevieve Bujold
One of the longest-running films ever, and one of the best. A WWI soldier (Alan Bates) in a situation worthy of Buster Keaton finds himself among a French village’s only remaining occupants — the gently mad inmates of the local asylum. The Germans are retreating, but have wired the town to explode in time to welcome the victors. Bates’s job: to find and disarm the trap. But there’s no one left who can tell him where it is or how to stop it. And meantime, the inmates have other career plans for him.
The Last Castle — Robert Redford, James Gandolfini
General Irwin (Redford) is sentenced inside a military prison run by a hard-nosed disciplinarian, Col. Winter (Gandolfini). Irwin wins the inmates hearts and minds; Winter’s error is in thinking he still has them by the balls.
Leon the Professional — Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
A young girl (Portman) sees her family killed and finds shelter with a neighbor (Jean Reno): who turns out to be a hit man — a ‘professional.’ Gary Oldman’s character did the killing, the girl’s one object is revenge, and she asks the hit man to teach her his craft…
Love Actually — Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson
A fine large-ensemble cast in a multithreaded story about the pains and pleasures of finding real love. They managed to do this without being sappy, even against a background of Christmastime. Long may the British wave!
Magnolia — J. Robards, J.C. Reilly, J. Moore, A. Molina, W. H. Macy, P.S. Hoffman
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a wunderkind and appear on those shows where scarily smart children are asked arcane questions and actually know the answers? In what may be the best fictional take on this since the Glass family took it on — and much more, the film is much wider than that — we see an entire involving world. Excellent.
The Man in the Iron Mask — Irons, Malkovich, Depardieu, Byrne, Anne Parillaud
This is a lavish production and the actors are all great with, alas, the casting oddity of Leonardo DaCaprio as Louis XIV as a young man (and his iron-masked twin). DiCaprio is fine as the twin, but less than convincing as the monarch. Anne Parillaud, once La Femme Nikita, now shows us her versatility as a fine Anne of Autria, the Queen Mother.
The Merchant of Venice — Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, Lynn Collins
An excellent cinematic opening up of Shakespeare’s dark play, in which noone is really a hero (or heroine). Superb. Really brings it to immediate, forceful life.
Michael — John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt
The archangel Michael (Travolta) on his last trip to Earth. He’s enjoying the sights and experiences, but that’s not the only thing that brings him on his earthly visit.
Moonstruck — Cher, Nicholas Cage, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, Vincent Gardenia
A timeless classic, and still just as fine to watch now as it was when it first came out.
The Muppet Movie — All the Muppets, with many guest stars
A ‘muppetational’ rendition of how the Muppet characters originally met up with each other: Kermit meets them as he leaves his swamp to journey to Hollywood to try his luck in show business. Fun muppet situations, including a gangsterish frog-legs restaurant chain mogul (Charles Durning) who tries to coerce Kermit into being his spokesfrog. Excellent musical score and fine songs was nominated for an Oscar.
Notting Hill — Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant
This is a fine, enjoyable film, a great romantic comedy, and filled with interesting and funny characters. I go back and watch this every so often when I want to feel really good.
Orange County — Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Lily Tomlin
Jake Kasdan (son of Lawrence) on his first solo directorial effort. Despite oddball trailers suggesting otherwise, this is not primarily a ‘teenage’ or ‘highschool’ picture. Colin Hanks (son of Tom) in his first starring role, really carries the picture — and is surrounded by many amazing character actors including Jack Black and Lily Tomlin. Very funny and occasionally very moving, in its own quiet way. A superb cameo by Kevin Kline.
Princess Mononoke — Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli
This masterpiece of an epic animated film does not seem long despite its almost three hour running time. Miyazaki’s film has been scripted into English by the fine writer Neil Gaiman, and Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, Minnie Driver and Gillian Anderson lead the English-language voice cast.
Ronin — Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Jonathan Pryce, Sean Bean, Skipp Sudduth, Katarina Witt
Paris, Arles, and other French locations never looked better: modern-day freelancers (‘ronin’) are hired to snatch a case containing the McGuffin, for pay. Whatever it is, it’s being sought not only by the Irish but the Russians and probably several other nations as well. Who will get it — and who will be alive at the end to see? John Frankenheimer’s loving tribute to the Paris and France where he lived for many years, as well as a great tale.
Safe Conduct — Jacques Gamblin, Denis Podalydes
Tension-filled (and occasionally humorous, just for a change) adventures of two screenwriters in occupied Paris in 1943. Work for or with the Germans — or risk being sent away to a labor camp in Germany — or find a way to resist? Gives an excellent idea of what it was like to live in those cold, hungry and desperate days. Amazing scene where one of our French heroes, speaking only French, tries to explain to the British just how he got the admittedly very important papers he managed to smuggle out. Highest rating.
Saving Grace — Brenda Blethyn, Craig Ferguson, Tcheky Karyo
A well-to-do British widow discovers her late husband not only left her no money, but had mortgaged their house to the hilt and borrowed against the insurance without telling her — and all the money is gone. Faced with imminent destitution, she turns her green thumb to good but illegal use with the help of her Scottish gardener and handyman (Ferguson). Eventually, the whole town knows what she thinks is her well-kept secret, but her life really changes when she tries to sell the crop and runs into a suave French gangster (Tcheky Karyo).
Sense and Sensibility — dir. Ang Lee; Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant
Emma Thompson won an oscar for best adapted screenplay (and her acceptance speech, written as though by Jane Austen, available on the disc, is not to be missed). Her performance as the ‘Sense’ part of the title duo is also astounding, and she is matched by a superb ensemble, including Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Gemma Jones, and others.
Stand by Me — W. Wheaton, R. Phoenix, C. Feldman, J. O’Connell, K. Sutherland
Based on Steven King’s fine (non-horror) short story, “The Body,” Rob Reiner (dir.) shows us the world of preadolescent boys for whom, after that summer, nothing will ever be quite the same. A must-see classic.
The Score — DeNiro, Brando, Edward Norton, Angela Bassett; directed by Frank Oz
Montreal jazz club owner (and master thief) DeNiro is persuaded by his direly pressed friend (Brando) to come out of the retirement he has promised his lady (Bassett, in a great role) to do one final caper, one involving a young thief (Norton) of Brando’s acquaintance. Then the troubles begin… Excellent.
Shakespeare in Love — Paltrow, J. Fiennes, Rush, Firth, Affleck, Dench
The young Shakespeare (Fiennes) finds inspiration for a play (Romeo and Juliet) by falling in love with a young woman (Paltrow, who gets the accent right) who is, alas, promised to another whom she does not want to wed, but whose family is forcing her into it. Extremely well-done and very enjoyable. Life in Elizabethan times was not simple and quite different in some ways from our lives today; this film shows us some of the ways. Judi Dench won the oscar (I think) for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I. Great! A must-see.
Sneakers — Redford, Aykroyd, Kingsley, Poitier, Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix
Suspense and teamwork in this exciting film, with Ben Kingsley as the villain looking for revenge on Redford and his slightly oddball team of security experts, who obtain a McGuffin that allows them to crack ultra-secure databases without detection. The scene where Strathairn’s blind character must drive the van according to Redford’s audio directions is a cinematic classic. Firstrate, with James Earl Jones as a government agent trying to take possession of the McGuffin and nearly stymied by the varied and colorful demands of Redford’s team.
Tequila Sunrise — Mel Gibson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Raul Julia; wr&dir. R. Towne
I love this film. In it, the characters talk convincingly and the situations, suspense and surprises are real, and earned. Towne, as both writer and director, gets to say what he has to say, and Raul Julia is brilliant in a difficult role to pull off. I don’t think Pfeiffer has ever given a bad performance, but she really shines here, given an interesting character and good lines. Russell and Gibson are rivals for more than just Pfeiffer’s attention, and the cinematography is superb, too.
The Truth About Cats and Dogs — Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman, Ben Chaplin
Uma Thurman has many times been cast — and dressed (hair, clothes, makeup) — as a beautiful woman (e.g., as Venus in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen). In this film, her character is intended to be head-turningly attractive, but despite that, she is given ugly clothes and lank hair and directed to assume bad posture, leaving her gangly and unattractive. As a result, her appearance here is closer to Olive Oyl than Venus, yet we are intended to believe men still turn those heads when she slumps by. Janeane Garofalo plays a sharp, witty veterinarian with a radio talk show who is so routinely not noticed by men that she seems to disappear entirely from their view. When she’s attracted to a young man with a pet problem, she borrows Cyrano’s trick of sending in the inarticulate and (it says here) beautiful substitute and supplying the clever words herself — with the same success.
The Usual Suspects — S. Baldwin, Byrne, Palminteri, Pollak, Postlethwaite, K. Spacey
A classic, and a great ensemble cast and a plot that will keep you guessing to the very end. And even on subsequent viewings, it’s well worth seeing again, since there’s much more here than just finding out about Keyser Soze…
Vatel — Gerard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth
Louis XIV makes a royal visit to the estate of one of his ministers — who then has to entertain the King and his entire entourage for several days. The Minister is broke — the royal visit is the quid pro quo for a kingly favor that will bring the Minister money and power — and hires the great Vatel (Depardieu), master of astounding visual effects and feasts (a historical figure) to do the job. He overcomes many obstacles, including local merchants’ reluctance to extend any further credit to the Minister, and cleverly builds an entertainment literally worthy of a King — but a young and beautiful lady (Thurman) in the Queen’s entourage catches the eye of the King and also of one of his menacing noblemen (Roth). Meantime, the girl has met and is fascinated by Vatel, and he by her… This is the court of Louis XIV; don’t look for a happy ending here for anyone but Louis.
Waterloo — Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer
Napoleon’s Hundred Days, from the return from exile at Elba to defeat at Waterloo. Steiger as Napoleon gives a performance that should have won an award; he is an actor who knows how to take his time, and here he is allowed that luxury, while the movie keeps right on moving along. Wellington (Plummer) is his aristocratic opposite number as commander in chief of the forces allied to stop Napoleon. 20,000 extras helped make possible the masterly staging of the great series of engagements that made up the terrible, deadly battle. The battle scenes are never distant or didactic, but always involving, yet giving an idea of the scope of what was involved. Award-winning (BAFTA; David) Well worth watching.
When Harry Met Sally — Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
A classic, and for good reason. The scene in the deli alone is classic, but the entire film is excellent, funny and moving. A must-see.
Working Girl — H. Ford, M. Griffith, A. Baldwin, Joan Cusack, S. Weaver, P. Bosco
Ambitious and smart working girl Tess (Griffith) goes to work for executive Katherine (Weaver), but when Tess comes up with an excellent idea, Katherine grabs it for herself and turns to Jack Trainer (Ford) for assistance, letting him think it’s her idea. A skiing accident takes Katherine out of the picture for a while, and Tess, filling in where she can, learns of the betrayal, contacts Trainer as Katherine’ assistant, and with him actually works out the deal. Katherine returns before the deal is quite done, and tries to discredit Tess. A fine film (the scene of Tess in Katherine’s empty house is exquisite). In addition, Carly Simon’s award-winning score is unforgettable, as are the amazing shots of Manhattan, some from the Staten Island Ferry.
X-Men and X2 — Stewart, Jackman, McKellen, Berry, Janssen, Marsden, Romijn, Paquin
Mutants with more-than-human powers group around two leaders: Charles Xavier (Stewart), who wants to emphasize education and good deeds, and Magneto (McKellen), who wants revenge on the humans who have persecuted the mutants, and plans their destruction. Each adventure has its own story, but the two ‘teams’ of mutants and their enduring struggle to find a way to share the earth with ‘normal’ humans endures. Very well done.
Zero Effect — Bill Pullman, Ben Stiller, Ryan O’Neal, Kim Dickens
A hip, unusual and pleasantly quirky film, Jake Kasdan’s second outing as a director brings the famed but reclusive detective Daryll Zero (Pullman) and his assistant Steve Arlo (Stiller) onto a case for Ryan O’Neil, to search for his lost keys (one of them is a key to a safe-deposit box; part of the task is to find just which box that might be) and stop the blackmailing letters by finding the sender. It also brings Zero into contact with a young woman who… well, watch the movie and see. Excellent.
